Differential can-feed mechanism



April 14, 1931- H. L. GUENTHER DIFFERENTIAL CAN FEED MECHANISM Filed June 21, 27

Patented A 14, 1931 um'rsn HENRY L. eunn'ri inn, or Los ANGELEs, cn-Lir'onnm nirrnnnnminn CAN-FEED MECHANISM Application fi led June 21,

This invention relates to differential can feed mechanisms andzismore p'articularly'directed to mechanism for feeding cans at high speed to a double seaming mechanism, the

, 5 cans bodies being filledwithfruit,vegetables samein definite timed relation to a transfer rotor or carriage of a double seaming mecha- 15 nism.- This invention is animprovement over the can feeding and timing device disclosed in patent issued to myself, No. 1,463,527, granted July 31, 1923. I

In accordance with this invention, the

2 timing and accelerating of the cansis accomplished entirely-on one revolving turret on which the cans are first spaced as they are delivered from any suitable or desirable form of mechanism, and then'accelerated to deliver the same to the revolving disc or carriage of adouble seaming machine. Another object of this invention. is to provide a differential can feed mechanism in eluding a revolving turret to which the filled cans are delivered, ;.and which revolving turret includes means resilientlyheld in po sition for guiding the cans, means for spacing or timingthe cans as they;are guided, and means operated in conjunction with the revolving turret for accelerating the rate of travel .ofthe cans as'the same leave there- .volving turret.

Another object of this invention is to pro vide a differential can feed mechanism including a revolving'turret or disc mounted on a driving shaft, and over; which disc a star wheel or cam is mounted to spaceor vtime the cans fed to the revolving disc, and accelerating means 'operatively driven by the aforesaid shaftto acceleratethe feeding of the cans in timed relation toa capping machine. The acceleration isefiectedso as to provide auniform speeding up of the travel of thecans on the revolving turret or transfer disc S0 as toavoid spilling. or

1927; Serial No. 200,352. I

slopping of the cans contents. 'The' entire timing and accelerating means 'with the transfer disc is mounted on or grouped around a single shaft so that in our operation the cansare spaced, timed and acceleratedthereby permitting the operation of the double'seaming machine and feeding mechanism at increased speed. 7

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a difl'erential can feed mechanism embodying this invention, illustrating the same as attached to and connected with a fragment of a double seaming machine.

I Figure 2 is a sectional front elevation' thereof. a i

.In the preferred embodiment of this invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 1 illustrates the carriageof the double. seaming mechanism tov which the. filled cans are to be delivered. Means are provided. adjacent the double seaming mechanism 1 for delivering the cans to the 'mechanism 1 in timedjrelation, which means are preferably tion: 7 A frame 2 supports vertical be'arings3 and 4 within which a vertically extendingshaft 5 is journaled. Secured to the shaft fiis a of the following construe star wheel 6 which provides. a plurality of.

arcuatesegments'? in which the-cans, proper- T go FicE 1y timed, are carried and transferredtothe I double seaming machine. 1, n V

, The star wheel '6 may be of any suitable or desirable construction, such as is ordinarily I provided in connection with double seaming mechanisms. Operably mounted in connection with the star wheel 6 is a safety cantop feed'mechanism 8 which is specifically de scribed and claimed in aipatent issued to my self, No. 1,454,388. Operably: mounted in connection with the star wheel 6 is ;a second safety mechanism 9for arresting the operation of the double seaming machine 1 when acan is not fed to the star wheel 6 by the tim- I ing and accelerating means embodying this invention. The safety mechanism 9 is specifically disclosed and described in a patent issued to myself, No. 1,545,140.

The timing and accelerating mechanism embodied in this invention includes ashaft 10 which is supported in bearings 11 and 12 and which is driven from'the shaft 5 by means of a gear 13 which is secured to. theshaft 5 and meshes with apinion 14 carried I on a shaft 15 mounted in a bearing 16.

' cured, as illustrated at 27, to a horizontally Mounted on the shaft 15 is agear 17 which drives the pinion 18 secured'to the shaft 10.

Secured to the frame of the double seamingmechanism, as illustrated at 19, is a bracket 20 which supports at its outer end a pin 21 upon whichv gears 22 and 23 are secured. The gear 23 meshes with a gear 24 secured to the shaft 10, and the gear 22 meshes with a pinion 25 which is carried by r or formed integral with a sleeve 26 which is mounted on the shaft 10. The sleeve2'6 issedisposed transfer disc 28. The gears and pin-ions22, '23, 24 and 25, are of such sizes that as a result the disc 28 is rotated at a speed differing from the: speed of the shaft 10. The transfer disc 28 is supported in horizontal position against endwise motion of the shaft 10 by its hub 29 engaging upon thei'upper surface of the bearing 12.

Mounted adjacent the periphery of the 7 transfer disc 28 is a guide rail 30 which is usually held in position by'mea-ns of a spring 31 mounted upon a pin 32 which extends through a boss 33 formed in the guide rail casting 34. The guide rail 30 is pivotally supported by the'casting 34 at a pin 35a pre- Vdetermined distance from a timing cam or star wheel 36. The casting 34 is supported at a bolt 37 to the bracket 20 and at a bolt 38 to the'franieiof the double seaming meehanism 1'. V The casting 34, as' the same extends beyond the guide rail 30, provides an additional guide rail 39 aroundthe periphery of the transfer disc 28, which is mounted on the shaft 10. The casting 3.4 extends'on its inner end under the star wheel 6 to guide the cans 40 into position relative to the segments erating'means embodying this invention to be operated upon cans of varying diameters, the star wheel'36 is formed of a ring 43 which is reniovably secured to the flange 44 of the to shaft 10'."

collar 45, and is provided on its periphery with engaging recesses 46 which approximate closely the particular diameter of the can 40 to be operated upon. In case it is desired to employ timing and accelerating means on cans of different diameters, the ring 43 is changed to accommodate these cans." The collar is preferably secured to the shaft 10.

I Means are provided for accelerating the travel of the cans on'the transfer disc 28, which means are preferably of the following construction Secured to the flange 48 of the collar 45 are brackets 49 on which accelerating fingers 50' are pivotally supported by pins: 51. The accelerating fingers 50'arecurved outward approximately horizontally, as illustrated at. 52,'to provide engaging fingers which engage the cans 40 on their rear-sum face and drive the same alonghas they travel to the periphery of the transfer-disc 28, following the guide rails 30 and 39, and thereby accelerating the travel of the cans 40 as: the same move outward toward the the transfer disc28'. .7

Cam means are provided for actuating the fingers 50 and are preferably of the following construction: 1 I

Journale'd to the upper end of the shaft- 10: is a stationary cam guide member53' which is-provided with a cam-race 54, within which rollers 55 secured to the upper ends 56 ofthe fingers 50 are mounted, so that the cam race '54 causes the fingers 50 to pivot on the pins 51 to recede from engaging position as the.

cans are moved onto the transfer disc 28 and are engaged within the recesses '46 of'the star periphery of ioo wheel 36, and so as to move the fingers out- 7 wardl'y between the cans 450 to engage the" rearward surfacesof' the cans'j40 as the same find their positions within the recesses 46 of the star wheel 36, and so as to cause the cans 40 to move along the. guide rail'39 after the same have moved outward away" from the timing disc 36, whereby continuing the timed travel of the cans 40 and accelerating the same as they are moved'foutwardly upon the V disc28. Mounted-over the d'isc28 is a second guide rail 57 which engages the inner periphery or surface of the cans 40 and causes the same to travel a path toward the periphery" of the transfer disc 28, and this guide rail57 ex; tends around the periphery of the star wheel 6 so as togui'dethe cans as the sameare engaged within the segments 7;

, The cam guide member 53 is rigidly supported in position, as illustrated at 58, by a .1

bracket 59 and is journaled on the upper end of" the shaft 10. The sleeve 45 is secured Mounted adjacent the entrance endof the can pathas thecans are caused to pass'into position to be'engaged in the segments 7,

is a trip lever which is connected with a control mechanism of the double seaming mechanism 1 as-isfully set forth in my Patent 'No. 1,454,140, heretofore referred to.

* Means are provided for adjusting elevaposition of the bracket 20 may be adjusted,

and as the transfer disc 28 is supported on the upper edge of the bearing 12 provided by the bracket 20, the position of the trans,

fer disc 28 will be adjusted.

The operation of the difierential can feed mechanism embodying this invention is Cans 40 are fed along the rail 30 to the transfer disc 28 in any suitable or desired manner. Each can 40 is then picked up by the transfer disc 28 and being engaged by the star wheel 36 is spaced from the next can 40 fed into the machine. The travel of the cans 40 is then accelerated as the same are driven and spaced or timed by the star wheel 36 by the engagement of the cans 40 by the accelerating fingers 50. The cans 10 are then driven by the accelerating fingers 50 between the rails 34 and57 gradually toward the periphery of the transfer disc so that their speed of travel is accelerated. The .entire timing, spacing and accelerating means are driven from the shaft 10 so that the cans are timed, spaced and accelerated as the same are driven over the singledisc 28.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have combined into one single mechanism, means for timing the travel of the cans 40 and means for accelerating the timed travel of the same so that the same will be delivered at an accelerated rate and in timed relation to the star wheel 6, by means of which the same are transferred to the double seaming machine or mechanism 1. The combining of v the two means, that-is, the means for timing and the means for accelerating the travel of the timed cans into a mechanism, enables me to operate this mechanism at a greater rate of speed so that the cans maybe fed to the double seaming machine 1 at a greater rate of speed, thereby increasing the capacity of the machine 1, which is essential to the economic packing or canning of food stuff and the like.

Having fully described the preferred em bodiment of my invention, it is'tobe under stood that many changes may be made in the details thereof'without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by the appended claims. I

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a transfer disc, a shaft for driving thetransfer disc, a star wheel se cured to the shaft over the'transfer disc, a

"plurality of accelerating-fingers, means for pivotally supporting the accelerating fingers and for securing the. same to the shaft, and.

means supported in stationary position and providing a cam race for actuating the ,accel erating fingers a v I 2'. In a differential can feed mechanism the combination of a shaft, means for driving the shaft, a transfer disc journa'led onithe shaft, a'star wheel mounted over the disc and driven by the-said shaft, accelerating means i,

mounted over the disc and actuated from the said shaft and means for driving the transfer disc at a different speed than saidaccelcrating means and star wheel.

3. In a differential can feed mechanism for feeding cans at high speed to a can capping machine, the combination of a shaft, means for drivng the shaft, a transfer disc driven disc and driven from the shaft, said star wheel disc including a. removable ring havmovable portion provided with engaging recesses in its periphery positioned above-the disc and adapted to space cans along said guide-rail, a plurality of pivoted accelerating means, means connecting said star wheel and accelerating means, a stationary cam member adapted to co-operate with said accelerating means, means for ;driving said accelerating means and star wheel from the drive shaft and meansj for driving the disc from the shaft at aspeed different from the speed of said accelerating means and star wheel. I

- 5. In a can-feeding and timing mechanism, the comblnatlon of adrlven shaft, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft, a disc conn'ected to said sleeve, a collar mounted on said shaft above said disc,'a star wheel removably connectedto the collar, an accelerating means carried by the collar, and a statlonar-y cam race adapted to cooperate with said accelerating means whereby said accelerating means will accelerate the rateof travel of cans over said disc and maintain cans in spaced relation thereon. p

6.- In a can from the shaft, a star wheel mounted over the edge of the disc, a star wheel having a refeeding and timing mechanism, the combination of a driven shaft, a, sleeve rotatably inountedon said shaft,:a driving con-' .nection between said shaft and sleeve, a feed-o ing disc connected to said sleeve, abcollar mounted on said shaft above said disc, a star Wheel removably connected to the collar above said disc, an accelerating means'carried by said collar above said star Wheel, and a stationary cam race adapted to cooperate with said accelerating means whereby said acceler-' ating means Will accelerate the rate of travel maintain cans in of, cans over said disc and spaced relation. V

7 In a can feeding and timing mechanism, a driven shaft, a sleeve journaled on 'said shaft, a driving connection between said shaft and sleeve for driving said sleeve ata different speed than said shaft, a feeding disc connected to said sleeve,- means for adjustably V positioning said disc and sleeve along said shaft, a collar mounted on said shaft above said disc, a star Wheel removably connected to the collar above said disc, and an accelerating means carried by the collar above said star Wheel and disc.

'8. In a can timing and feeding mechanism, the combination of a driven shaft, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for driving said sleeve from said shaft at a different speed than said shaft, a disc connected to said sleeve, means for adjustably positioning the sleeve and disc along said shaft, a collar 7 mounted on said shaft above said disc, a star Wheel removably connected to the collar, an accelerating means carried by the collar, and a stationary cam race adapted to cooperate with said accelerating means whereby said accelerating means will accelerate the rate of travel of cans over said discand maintain cans in spaced relation thereon.

9. In a can timing and feeding mechanism, a driven shaft, a disc journaled on said shaft, means for driving said disc by said shaft but at a different speed, a star Wheel mounted on said shaft above said disc, a spider mounted on said shaft above said star Wheel, a plurality of radially movable fingers carried by said spider, said fingers being'adapted to space cans fed onto said disc and to accelerate the speed thereof, and means for adjustably positioning said disc along said shaft.

10. In a can timing and-feeding machine,

base, a bracket vertically adjustable on said bearing 111 sa d bracket, a sleeve rotatbase, a ably positioned in said bearing, a shaft rotat- V ably ournaled in'said sleeve, means for driving said sleeve by said shaft at a different speed than said shaft, a feeder disc carried by said sleeve, and a spacing means carried by said shaft above said disc.

shaft at a different speed than said shaft, a

feeder disc carried by'said sleeve, a spacing 

